Templates for Character and Place Files

[botgrrrl]

It would be nice if the character and place text files could be opened with templates for like Name, gender, age, hair, height, and the like.

[dunx]

This is a nice feature, as long as it's optional. I start most of my character sheets with one or two paragraphs of character sketch (which is just free form text).

[botgrrrl]

Optional is good. Perhaps a way to cutomize the template . . .

[demeter]

I really like the idea of being able to adjust the template and I think that character sheets are a great idea. That would give one a lot of reference information and it would be good if it was always only a couple clicks away. I was just working a on story and had to introduce a character that I made up so long ago that I didn't remember what she looked like. It took me about ten minutes to look trough my notebooks and then my computer to find it out.

[KB]

Hmm, I'm not so sure I like the idea, simply because then Scrivener starts limiting itself to being a fiction-writer's tool, whereas I would like it to offer potential to other kinds of writers who write long works, too. I will ponder the idea of templates based on root folder, though - although it will be a low priority compared to all the other stuff that needs fixing. The way I'm thinking of it working would be quite simple: you would just create your own templates on a project-by-project basis that relate to a particular root folder. So when you create a new document under "People", for instance, a character sheet would be created - but only so long as you had created one on the templates options. The default would remain blank.

[nico]

This would be similar to the 'master page' concept from publishing packages like QuarkExpress and InDesign: one template that forms the basis for a class of pages.

Perhaps you could make the root folders clickable, such tht when one is selected (perhaps by double-clicking or whatever) the master page can be edited.

[KB]

A ctrl-click would be better for that - that's a good idea...

[annik]

nico said:

This would be similar to the 'master page' concept from publishing packages like QuarkExpress and InDesign: one template that forms the basis for a class of pages.

Perhaps you could make the root folders clickable, such tht when one is selected (perhaps by double-clicking or whatever) the master page can be edited.

I like this idea, and I *love* the Quark-ish approach. I am also a big user of Softpress' "Freeway" web design app, which also has a Quarkish feel, keeping the ol' learning curve at a minimum for us ex-print designers, LOL!

[KB]

This actually might make it sooner rather than later, as I have decided that I do like the idea (so long as it can be completely ignored by those who don't want it) and it should be fairly straightforward to implement. Probably a few betas down the road, though.

[kco]

I'd be delighted to see optional templates included. Despite my inner Mac-ness, I've resorted to using WriteWay Pro on a PC box controlled by Remote Desktop so I can use WriteWay Pro's templates. WWP does a great, customizable job with 'em, and I wonder if you could consider something along those lines.

For example, WWP lets you create a Master Character Template and fill it with prompts like Age, Birthplace, External Goal, Critical Flaw, etc.--or whatever *YOU* like to figure out about a character to fit your particular writing process. You decide what's in there. Then, when you use your customized template to create a new character, those prompts show up in bold--and when you fill in your answers, they're in regular font. It's a slick way to separate question vs. answer.

The character templates also let you insert a graphic (like a character photo). I love the customizability there, and it's making it tough to switch away, though Scrivener looks v. promising.

Optional templates could also work for setting/place, or lots of other things. WWP has NoteCard templates, too, which add in even more flexibility for a writer's favored working process. Although I can't think of a nonfic use for templates off the top of my head, I'm pretty sure there must be some!

Something else I love about WWP is its ability to have different fonts/layout for printing (i.e., manuscript format, Courier 12 with 25 lines per page, or whatever you want), as opposed to the fonts you've set for screen view. (Jer's Novel Writer does something similar, I think.) That means I can print my document, ready to submit, right from the program. WWP even lets me specify how many blank lines to use at the beginning of each chapter, what marks to use to separate scenes, how I'd like the names of chapter titles to appear, etc. That makes it a great all-in-one for me. BUT, I really, really, really like annotations/margin notes/comments. Before Word implemented comments, I was using its Hidden Text to have my notes about revisions right next to the relevant passages. I'm so glad to see annotations available in Scrivener!

WriteWay Pro is (boo) PC-only, but they do have a 30-day demo in case you want to see how those templates or print options could be applied to Scrivener.

Thanks!

[KB]

Thanks for the input. I have tried WWP on the PC, and I have to say that I'm not a big fan of it. It felt very clunky (though, looking at the screenshots on the site, it looks like it has changed and improved a lot since I last tried it), and it is also very prescriptive, forcing you to work in Acts, Chapters and Scenes.

The way templates in Scrivener would work would be a bit looser than this. You would have to set up the templates for your project yourself, which would involve creating a text document with bold/non-bold where you want it, rather than have it done automatically for you. This way you could have it organised any way you want - you could even have an image that always appears, or use a table if you wanted.

The character templates also let you insert a graphic (like a character photo). I love the customizability there, and it's making it tough to switch away, though Scrivener looks v. promising.

You can achieve the same in Scrivener by inserting the image in the notes on the right (note the current beta doesn't have the ability to insert images via the menu or to resize them in the notes - these options are only available for main text; however, soon you will be able to do so in the notes too).

I will look into adding the option to print in a different font. Actually, it wouldn't be too difficult, it's just a matter of when I get around to it during the beta process - I've added it to the "to do" list, though. I'm not sure how many other options like this will get included, though. I never really intended Scrivener as a word processor replacement. It's really for drafting long works, which you can then export for final formatting in a proper word processor.

I will check out WWP, so long as my PC - which hasn't been turned on for some time - hasn't died.

Thanks,
Keith

[janra]

Re: printing in a different font: I see what you mean about not wanting to make it a full-fledged word processor, and frankly I agree with you - I usually work in a plain text editor so I don't have the clutter of all those extra formatting features. That said, I think an option to print in standard manuscript submission format (12 pt courier, double spaced, 1" margins all around) would be tremendously useful. You probably wouldn't have to even make that user-changeable, as it is pretty well standard across the industry, and any submissions that change that formatting get a black mark for not following the rules right off the bat :-)

-janra